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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

QUIGRICH, n. Also -iche, quegrich, coygerach. Gael. [′kwɪgrɪç] The name, “the Stranger”, given to the pastoral staff of St. Fillan (8th c.), of which the chased silver-gilt head enclosing an earlier copper head survives and is preserved in the National Museum of Antiquities. Its history and description are fully recorded in J. Anderson Scotland in Early Christian Times (1881) 216 ff.Sc. 1785 Archaeol. Scot. (1831) III. 289:
At Killin, July 5th 1782, in the house of Malice Doire, a day labourer, I was shewn what he called the Quigrich. It is the head of a Crosier, formerly belonging to St. Fillan.Sc. 1863 R. Chambers Bk. Days I. 78:
The head of St. Fillan's crosier, called the Quigrich, of silver gilt, elegantly carved, and with a jewel in front, remained at Killin, in the possession of a peasant's family, by the representative of which it was conveyed some years ago to Canada.Sc. 1881 J. Anderson Scot. in Early Christian Times 231:
In the fifteenth century the Dewarship of the Coygerach was still a recognised hereditary office, for the support of which the lands of the parish were burdened, and . . . the Coygerach itself was held a sufficient warrant, wherever produced, for the recovery of cattle or goods stolen from its girth.Sc. 1926 P. R. S. Lang Duncan Dewar 50:
Dewars of Glen Dochart, hereditary keepers of the quigrich or coygerach, the pastoral staff of St. Fillan.Sc. 1938 W. A. Gillies Famed Breadalbane 65:
The crozier, or staff, of St. Fillan is known as the Quigrich, a name that has created much curious speculation, but which is simply the Gaelic word, Coigreach, stranger or foreigner. It received this name from the fact that the relic was carried to distant places for the recovery of stolen property.Sc. 1939 M. M. Banks Cal. Customs II. 131:
The Dewar, or custodian of these relics, was not a cleric, but a layman, upheld by the civil justiciary. The hereditary rights of the office were confirmed by James III. In the Quigrich is a piece of rock crystal, held to have curative powers; it also gave protection to its bearer, and victory in battle.